[Phil A]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j-cgsm22tE

[FullRangeMan]

They will be more than happy producing any media that wear out quickly like cassetes and vinyl.

[lazydays]

The actual name escapes me right now, but there is a company that has been doing tape for well over a year (probably over two years). They also do reel 2 reel as well.

The comment about life span is interesting. I found three forty year old Ampex cassettes in a box a few months ago. They had not been in a machine for nearly thirty years. I ran them thru a Nakamichi 202, and they worked like a champ. I also have a stack of R2R boot legs, that seem to be just fine. How old are they? I know some were recorded in 1980. I have records that go back to the 1940's, and for some odd reason still play quite well! On the other hand I just tossed a dozen or so CD's that had turned cloudy without a scratch on them.

I use a turntable built in 1995, and it's just as good today as it was in 1995. I have two other tables that after cleaning them up, work like a champ (JVC's). On the otherhand I watch folks buy the latest and greatest DAC every two months!
gary

[Phil A]

This company is still making them - https://www.nationalaudiocompany.com/   and I believe Maxell and TDK still do (they sell them on Amazon) make standard cassette tapes.  I still have tapes from the late 70s recorded from audiophile LPs (got rid of those in 1983 along with the turntable).  One of these days, I may  try playing back them (cassette deck not a great one and haven't used it in years - maybe like 9 years) and if worthwhile converting them to lossless files.  There's too many other things like downloads and CDs I still want and buy.

[toocool4]

Cassettes and Vinyl don’t wear out any quicker if looked after, look after your equipment and all these media will last a long time. Even when you abuse them, they will still last a long time just will not sound as good. Those who think they will wear out after so many plays are just clueless and showing their ignorance.

I have many cassettes and LP’s that still sound great now and not much different to when I bought them many many years ago.

[FullRangeMan]

Now I have feel ashamed myself after reading these exaggerated and generic non-detailed statements of Perfect Sound Forever experience with tapes and vinyl.

Its definitely breaks the laws of physics  LOL
But Iam afraid someone might believe these hyperboles and buy these formats thinking it will last 30 years like a CD.

[SET Man]

This company is still making them - https://www.nationalaudiocompany.com/   and I believe Maxell and TDK still do (they sell them on Amazon) make standard cassette tapes.  I still have tapes from the late 70s recorded from audiophile LPs (got rid of those in 1983 along with the turntable).  One of these days, I may  try playing back them (cassette deck not a great one and haven't used it in years - maybe like 9 years) and if worthwhile converting them to lossless files.  There's too many other things like downloads and CDs I still want and buy.

Hey!

    Yes, TDK still making blank cassette tapes but I think only Type I. Not sure about Maxell. I was a Maxell Type II kinda guy back in the late '80s and '90s. I have some Type II TDK and Maxell blank stashed up somewhere

Cassettes and Vinyl don’t wear out any quicker if looked after, look after your equipment and all these media will last a long time. Even when you abuse them, they will still last a long time just will not sound as good. Those who think they will wear out after so many plays are just clueless and showing their ignorance.

I have many cassettes and LP’s that still sound great now and not much different to when I bought them many many years ago.

   That's is true. If you don't keep your deck's heads and tape path nice and clean it will wear out the tape or worst eat them up!

   I have cassettes that are 30 or even 40 years old still play fine, although I have to admit I get nervous playing them the last time I did a few years ago. These are musics from my childhood, I really need to transfer them to CD or something.

   Now only if I can find someone to refurbish my Nakamichi 1000 for a good price

Buddy

[Phil A]

Hey!

    Yes, TDK still making blank cassette tapes but I think only Type I. Not sure about Maxell. I was a Maxell Type II kinda guy back in the late '80s and '90s. I have some Type II TDK and Maxell blank stashed up somewhere

   
Buddy

That's my understanding

[Phil A]

I last played a snippet or two of my cassettes as noted above about 9 years back.  So they had to be about 30 years old (or a hair over).  Most of the good stuff I put on chrome or metal tape.  I'd guess over time, it is possible they may have been exposed to some magnetism (I'd guess it's kind of hard to have zero).  However, having gone through 4 moves from the time I first made them, it is impossible to say exactly where they were loaded on moving trucks or stacked in boxes next to something they could have had some impact on them.  I guess if I ever get to transfer them, I can listen (I may not get to it as I probably have about 40 tapes made from audiophile records the first or second time I played them and I was meticulous/neurotic when I had a turntable about cleaning).  I'd guess, I've probably bought some of the music again on files or discs transferred to files.

[Bob2]

Cassettes and Vinyl don’t wear out any quicker if looked after, look after your equipment and all these media will last a long time. Even when you abuse them, they will still last a long time just will not sound as good. Those who think they will wear out after so many plays are just clueless and showing their ignorance.

I have many cassettes and LP’s that still sound great now and not much different to when I bought them many many years ago.

+1!

[toocool4]

I don’t think TDK still make cassettes and not even 100% sure about Maxell either, maybe the Maxell UR and I think that is just old pancakes they still have but I could be wrong.
National Audio Company (NAC), ATR Magnetics and Recording the Masters all still make type I cassettes I think, they may be 1 or 2 more but I am not sure.

I still use cassettes on my daily commute to and from work.

Some of my cassettes


On my daily commute


I was playing Ice Cube a few days ago on my Nakamichi CR-7